Bangsal Harbor is the gateway to reach Gili Islands from Lombok. Either you are flying or sailing with ferries you still have to go through Bangsal Harbor to get to the Gilis. You can reach the Gili Islands by boats from the port of Bangsal, about 1km from the village of Pemenang in Lombok.
The cheapest way but also the longest way to get to the Gilis is by using public ferry. The ferry departs from Padang Bai and crosses to Lembar harbor on Lombok and it could take 4 to 8 hours. From Lembar Harbor you can take a shuttle bus service to Bangsal harbor or take a public transportation (bemo) to Pemenang. From Pemenang you can ride ‘cidomo’ (horse cart) to Bangsal Harbor.
You must catch the ferry in the morning from Padang Bai so you don’t have to stay one night on Lombok as Bangsal harbor closes around 5pm. From Bangsal, you must take a boat which takes about 40 minutes to cross over to Gili Trawangan.
Flying is the fastest and easiest way to reach the Gilis. From Denpasar Bali, Merpati Airlines serves 6 daily flights to Lombok with a 24 seat propeller driven planes which take approximately 30 minutes for the one-way trip. The first flight departs from Denpasar around 7.30 am, and the last flight is around 4.30 pm. From Mataram Airport, you should get a public transportation or bemos directly to Pemenang and from there you can enjoy a 1 km ride using cidomo (horse transportation) to Bangsal Harbour to cross over to Gili Trawangan.
NOTE:
- BANGSAL harbor can be very busy and filled with hawkers, so don’t leave your luggage unattended.
- If you arrive at night, you should stay one night at Senggigi or Mataram and continue to Gili Islands the next morning.